Roman ceramic building materials (brick and tile) fabrics: dating, fabric groups, sources and distribution
Latest update: May 2004 (with minor corrections October 2007)
Dating
Fabric / Earliest date AD (approx) / Suggested date range AD (approx) / Best evidence (site codes)2451 / late 2nd–3rd / late 2nd to 3rd / PET81
2452 / 55–70 / 55/70 to 140/200 / EoW
2453 / 140–180 / 140/180 to 3rd / IME83
2454 / 50–60/ / 50 to 75/80 / pot date EoW
2455 / 50–75/80 / 50 to 75/80 / pot date EoW
2456 / late 3rd / 270–350 / PET81 (Brown 1994)
2457 / 170–230 / late 2nd to 3rd / IRO80 IME83
2458 / 70–100 / 70 to 100+ / FEN83
2459A / pre 60/1 / pre 60/1 to mid 2nd / EoW
2459B / 120/140–160 / 120/160 to late 2nd/3rd / EoW
2459C / 140–200 / 140/200 to 3rd / IME83, IRO80
3001 / 140/170–200 / mid 2nd to 3rd / IME83, IRO80
3004 / 50–60 / 50/60 to 140/200 / EoW
3005 / early/mid 2nd–early 3rd / early/mid 2nd–early 3rd / NFW74
3006 / 50–60 / 50/60 to mid 2nd / EoW
3007 / mid–later 3rd / –*– / SM75
3008 / 180–245 / –*– / NFW74
3009 / 100–120 / 100 to 120+ / LIM83
3011 / 70–100 / 70/100 to 140–200+ / NFW74, BOP82, FEN83
3012 / 180–245 / –*– / NFW74
3013 / 180–245 / –*– / NFW74
3014 / late 3rd / –*– / PET83
3016 / 250/300–400 / late 3rd to 4th / HOP82, IRO80
3017 / residual / (?) / NFW74
3018 / 100–120 / 100 to 120 / FST85, BOP82
3019 / 100–200 / 100 to 120 / LIM83, FEN83, BOP82
3020 / residual / (?) / NFW74
3021 / residual / (?) / NFW74
3022 / 50–60/70 / 50 to 75/80 / pot date, EoW
3023 / 50–70 / 50/70 to 120 / SLO82, EoW
3023B / 200–230 / 200 to 230+ / BBH87 PEP89
3024 / 55–80 / –*– / EST83
3025 / 60–80 / 60 to 80/100 / IME83, LIB82, FEN83
3026 / 170–230 / late 2nd to 3rd / IRO80
3027 / 180–245 / –*– / NFW74
3028 / 70–100 / 70 to 100/120 / EoW, BRL87
3029 / 170–300 / –*– / FEN83
3050 / 140–160/180 / 140–230 / IRL95, ABS86
3051 / 50–70 / 50/70 to 80/120 / FEN83, IME83, LCT84
3052 / 100–150 / –*– / LCT84, FEN83
3053 / 350–400 # / 350 to 400 # / PEP89
3054 / 75/80–100 # / 75/80 to 100 # / ABS 86
3055 / 200/250+ / (?) / CO87
3056 / (?) / (?)
3057 / 75/80–100 / 75/80 to 100
3058 / 50–70? / 50 to 70? / SLO82
3059 / (?) / (?)
3060 / 50–70 / 50/70 to 120 (+?) / SLO83, EoW
3060B / 200–230 / 200 to 230+ / BBH87, PEP89
3061 / residual / 140–230 / ABS86
3068 / 50–60/70 / 50/70 to 120/125 / FSE76, FST85, IME83
3069 / 70–85 / 70/85 to 100 / BIS82, LIB82
3070 / 55–80 / 55 to 80 / WIT83
3072 / 55–80 / –*– / EST83
3074 / residual / (?) / IME83
3077 / 200+ / (?) / CO89, HL74
3089 / late 2nd–early 3rd? / –*– / PDN81
3095 / 50–160 / (?) / BGH95
3096 / 350–400 # / 350 to 400 # / LHY88, PEP89
3200 / 100–150 / (?) / WP83
3222 / before 200 # / (?) / PEP89
3226 / 70–100 / 70 to 100 / NWRS, DMT88?
3229 / (?) / (?) / LBI95
3227 / 50–75/80 / 50 to 75/80 / CB80, NWRS
3237 / 120–160 / 120 to 160 / NWRS
3238 / 71–100 / 71 to 100+ / NWRS
3269 / 400–410 / 400 to 410 / SMD01
-*-: too few sites to suggest a date range of manufacture
#: pottery spot date NOT a more accurate phase date
Brown 1994: Brown, A, 1994 A Romano-British shelly-gritted pottery and tile manufacturing site at Harrold, Bedfordshire, Bedfordshire Archaeol 21, 19–107
EoW: numerous sites in East of Walbrook project (unpublished MoL archive report)
NWRS: sites in the study area of north-west Roman Southwark, published in Cowan, C, 2003 Urbandevelopment in north-west Roman Southwark: excavations 1974–90, MoLAS Monogr 16, London
Fabric groups
Fabric group 2815 comprises fabrics: 2452, 2459A/B/C, 3004, 3006
Fabrics from the same source area or kiln:
2453 + 2457 + 3001 + 3013 + 3026 + 3029? +3229
2454 + 2455 + 3022
2459B + 2459C
3023 + 3060 and 3023B + 3060B
3054 + 3059
3009 + 3019
3057 + 3095
Possibly 3058 + 3200
Sources and distribution
2453/2457/3001/3013/3026/3029?/3229
Kiln site: the abnormally high percentage of tiles in this group from the NFW74 wharf indicates they were imported into London via the Thames
Found: Exeter, Seaton (Devon); Romsey, Southampton, Winchester (Hampshire); Newport villa, Bowcombe, Brading villa (Isle of Wight); Batten Hanger villa, Worthing (West Sussex); Weymouth (Dorset); GosbecksTemple, near Colchester (Essex), Deerton Street villa and elsewhere in Kent
2454/2455/3022
Kiln site: Eccles area (Kent).
Found: Colchester, Chelmsford (Essex); St Albans? (Herts);.Beddington (Surrey); Orpington, CrayValley, Canterbury, Maidstone villa +other Kent sites
2456
Kiln site: matches samples from Harrold (Bedfordshire). There are two periods of tile making: late 2nd century and late 3rd to mid 4th century (Brown 1994, in Bedfordshire Archaeol 21). Only tiles from the later phase of production are believed to have been imported into London. The earlier phase included roller stamped tiles, none of which have ever been found in London. There may be other undiscovered kilns in the area making tiles in a similar fabric (M Stone, pers comm)
Found: widespread distribution (currently being studied by a UCL student – July 2007)
2459B/2459C
Kiln site: 2459B: uncertain probably north-west of London; 2459C: Gayners Park, near Epping Forest (also known as Fiddlers Hamlet)
Found: 2459B Wickford Villa, Chelmsford (Essex); Shadwell Dock (Greater London)
3023/3060 (and later types 3023B/3060B?)
Kiln site: Radlett (Hertfordshire)
Found: Wilmington Villa, Chalk, Lullingstone?, Orpington, CrayValley, Canterbury (Kent); Kingston-upon-Thames (Greater London) [Kent examples are less sandy and may come from a different kiln source]
3054/3059
Kiln site: Sussex?
Found: Alfoldean, Angmering, Arundel, Bignor, Chichester, Fishbourne, High Down, Ranscombe Hill, South Malling, Southwick, Westhampnett, Wiggonholt (Sussex); Cobham (Surrey); Lullingstone (Kent); Barking Abbey (Greater London); Winchester (Hampshire)
3058
Current dating (2007) suggest this fabric may be later than originally thought
More work is required to determine an accurate date
3069
Kiln site: Hertfordshire? (or possibly Buckinghamshire)
Found: Boxmoor, Kings Langley, St Albans, Park Street(?) (Herts); Cheddington, Dell Farm Latimer (Buckinghamshire)
3009/3019
Kiln site: Braxells Farm (Hampshire), and Little London (1 tile sample out of 6), (Hampshire)
Found: Braxells Farm, Brambridge gravel pit, Meonstoke-aisled building, Southampton -Hawkeswood Road, Winchester (Hampshire); Newport Villa, Brading villa (Isle of Wight)
3200
Kiln site: south central Weald (Fairlight clay bed)
Found: Pevensey, BeauportPark, Bardown, Cranbrook, Lympne, Folkstone, Dover, Richborough (Kent); Boulogne, Desvres (France). The earliest Classis Britannica stamped tiles from Dover are dated cAD 130–60, the others seem to be dated late 2nd/early 3rd century
Fabric group 2815 (individual fabrics 2452, 2459A/B/C, 3004, 3006)
Kiln sites: Brockley Hill (Herts) (2459A near 3006, 3006); Cannons park, Edgware, Greater London (2452), GaynersPark, Epping Forest (2459A), Park Street (Herts) (3006)
For details of 2459B and 2459C see note (4) above
3050
Probable kiln site: Reigate (Surrey)
Found: Walton Heath villa; Maidstone villa (Kent)
3018
Kiln site: ?, but certain tiles similar to Hartfield, east Sussex kiln (AD 100–30)
Found: CrayValley, Orpington (Kent)
3096
May be Kent, as found at Swancombe, Kent
3226
Found in various sites in north Kent (ie Thurnham villa) where full range tile types present; thus probable north Kent kiln source
3269
Believed to have been made at the early 5th century tile kiln at St Martin-in-the Fields, although no waster dumps were found